Box Tree Moth Quarantine in NJ

JC Chong

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) announced on June 25 that box tree moth quarantine has been established for Cape May County after an infestation at private residences was confirmed on June 10 by USDA-APHIS.  

Regulated items include live or dead boxwood, including debris and items made from boxwood sourced in the quarantine area. No regulated item may be shipped out of the quarantine area without permission of and a signed compliance agreement with NJDA. Infested and dead boxwood must be disposed of in the quarantine area. NJDA is also asking for citizens’ assistance in reporting any suspected box tree moth infestation via its website (see the QR code).

This follows the announcement of quarantine in Virginia in March 2026 and increases the number of quarantined states (entire state or some counties) to nine. These counties include Ashtabula, Clark, Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Lucas and Preble County in Ohio; Franklin County in Pennsylvania; and Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington County in Maryland. It’s anybody’s guess when these new quarantines will be finalized or activated, but keep an eye for the announcements.

USDA-APHIS’s website on box tree moth is a pretty good place to find information on this pest, including areas where quarantine has been imposed and insecticide options for managing an infestation. There are also a couple of predictive models for adult emergence and larval activity. GT

GO HERE to see the quarantine order. 

GO HERE for the Box Tree Moth page of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s website.